Back pain is one of the most common conditions around the world and severely affects the lives of millions of people; some medications can provide back pain relief in the short term, although none currently exist that remove pain completely. While there are a host of prescription medications that help with pain relief, many are doing nothing more than masking the symptoms instead of tackling the underlying cause of the pain.

Long term medication of pain killers is something that should be supervised as other problems can occur because of their continued use. The problem with the back is just how strong it is and at the same time how easily it can become damaged. Once spinal injury has occurred it can be a permanent condition, often caused by something as simple as bad posture.

The most common way to injure your back though is by lifting badly, it is usually recognized immediately by a sharp pain at the base of the spine. Many people are now turning to other methods of gaining back pain relief which do not include the use of drugs. Stretching the back is often the simplest method of relief, stretching your back gently can relax your back muscles preventing them from becoming tense.

Some are finding relief using reflexology, an ancient type of alternative medical treatment. It uses the concept that certain areas of the body having corresponding areas on the feet which can benefit from massage. Often to compensate for our pain, the back muscles over compensate. Reflexology can help provide relief by improving the circulation which in turn relaxes these hard worked muscles.

Acupuncture is used frequently by people suffering spinal agony by giving them back pain relief just as it has for thousands of years, although, only recently in the West. The use of needles in Traditional Chinese medicine could be over 5,000 years old. The Chinese believe we all have this special energy force flowing through us, when we become sick it doesn't flow correctly. Acupuncture needles when inserted at particular points can release this energy. There are large numbers of people that use acupuncture on a regular basis and claim it works well for them providing pain relief; especially those who have what is termed a chronic condition.

Another ancient oriental discipline, Tai Chi is similar to many types of Yoga but the movements are much slower and deliberate. The most important aspect of tai chi is that almost anyone can participate as it uses gentle breathing exercises and techniques to help relax the body.

To finish, it is a good idea not to forget the huge benefits that exercise can provide for back pain relief, including those of prevention.